GUWAHATI, June 28 - Expressing concern regarding delay in establishment of a Sainik School in Golaghat district, Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor constituency Gaurav Gogoi has urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene in the matter and accord the scheme the status of a �National Project.�
Gogoi, in a letter to Singh, said that, if necessary, he is willing to donate his entire Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds for setting up the Sainik School in Golaghat district.
�There has been a two-year delay in the process, during which I have also written to the Chief Minister requesting his attention to the matter. However, I am left with no choice but to write to you to ensure establishment of the Sainik School in Golaghat district. Despite receiving the �in-principle approval� from the Ministry of Defence in March 2016, the State government has not taken the steps required on its part as per the funding pattern to provide infrastructure in the form of land, educational and residential buildings, sports fields, etc. If funds are an issue for the State government, I am willing to donate my entire MPLADS funds for this project,� Gogoi stated in his letter.
He added that the State has only one Sainik School at present, which is located in Goalpara district of Lower Assam.
�There has been a long lasting demand for such an institution in Upper Assam. Many States like Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have two or more Sainik Schools. In the interest of the people of Assam, it is my humble request to you to take up the matter with the State government of Assam. This may also be taken up as a National Project and the Centre may support the project with adequate funds,� the Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor said.
Gogoi is one of the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.
